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The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday said it was pressing forward with a decision to impose antidumping duties on aluminum imports from China originally announced last year.

Commerce said it would levy duties of between 32.79% and 33.28% after determining that Chinese firms were selling aluminum extrusions below fair value in the U.S. Extrusions are shapes squeezed out of aluminum alloys and often used in construction, as well as a number of other commercial products.

Tuesday's announcement doesn't guarantee the duties will go into effect. The independent International Trade Commission would have to determine that U.S. producers of the products were being hurt by Chinese dumping practices. Commerce said the trade panel is expected to rule on the issue on or before May 12.

The decision is a victory for U.S. groups that had pushed the case, including the United Steelworkers union and a number of aluminum companies that sought redress as part of the Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee.

Imports from China to the U.S. of the aluminum products have grown rapidly in recent years, with the volume more than doubling from 2008 to 2010. The Commerce Department said the value of aluminum extrusion imports in 2010 was an estimated $503 million.